Teaching Tip #163

Teacherscribe’s Teaching Tip #163

What lesson could you sell tickets for?  Or what lesson do students love the most?

I posed this question to half a dozen former students in the fall.  I thought they’d all mention the one that was my choice for the one lesson that I could sell tickets for.  But I actually got four different answers.  I hope that’s a good thing.

Naomi was the first former student to respond.  Her message was short and to the point: “The TED Talks.  Hands down.”

In College Comp 2, we read the book Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo.

Once that is done, I task the students with developing (according to the rules and guidelines in Gallo’s book) and delivering their own 15 minute TED Talk.

Some love it; some put up with it.  But there is no denying the impact it has on the class.  I’ve seen kids cry because they’re talking about their grandfather’s alzheimer’s; I’ve seen kids talk about how they faced abusive situation at school; I’ve seen students share their battles with depression and anxiety; I’ve seen students share their battles with seniorities and procrastination . . .

There have been clunkers too, but most of them have been very, very well done.